Refillable Injection Pen Cartridge for Continuous Medicine Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medicine administration systems, particularly for chronic conditions like diabetes, lack the ability to efficiently refill medicine cartridges, leading to inadequate supply management and potential treatment interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A reusable injection pen with a refillable cartridge and integrated sensors to track medicine dispensed and refilled, allowing for precise monitoring and management of medicine levels, including features like a drive member for dispensing and a mechanism for refilling without removing the cartridge.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a medicine cartridge is designed for single-use or replacement, then reliability of medicine supply is maintained, but device complexity and user burden increase due to frequent cartridge changes
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge housing incorporates a self-contained refilling mechanism with a refill port that allows users to refill the medicine cartridge directly within the housing without removing it. The housing includes a refill chamber that receives refill cartridges, enabling the main cartridge to be refilled in place through a piston-driven mechanism that transfers medicine from the refill cartridge to the main cartridge.
2Reliability
If the cartridge housing is made permanent and non-releasable, then medicine supply continuity is improved through easy refilling, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inability to remove and replace cartridges
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge housing is designed with dual functionality: it serves as both a permanent refilling station with integrated refill mechanisms and a removable container that can be detached from the medicine delivery device. The housing includes a releasable engagement mechanism allowing users to remove the entire housing-cartridge assembly when needed, while also providing in-place refilling capability when the housing is attached.
3Measurement precision
If sensors and monitoring mechanisms are integrated into the housing, then measurement precision of medicine levels is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge housing includes sensors that detect the position of the piston and the volume of medicine remaining in the cartridge. These sensors provide feedback to the user through visual indicators on the housing, such as windows or displays that show the current medicine level. The system also tracks refilling history and dispensed amounts, providing comprehensive monitoring without requiring complex external measurement systems.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures continuous and accurate medicine administration by enabling easy refilling and monitoring of medicine levels, reducing treatment disruptions and improving user management of chronic conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Dispensing of the liquid medicine from the medicine dispensing element into the interior volume of the medicine cartridge applies a fluid pressure on the piston to translate the piston within the interior volume of the medicine cartridge
Data Source
AI summary
A medicine injection pen includes a body, a drive member, a cartridge housing, and a medicine cartridge retained within the cartridge housing. The drive member is configured to move relative to the body and the medicine cartridge defines an interior volume configured to retain a liquid medicine. The drive member is configured to translate a piston within the interior volume toward a dispensing end of the medicine cartridge to dispense at least some of the liquid medicine. The medicine cartridge also includes an insertion port configured to receive a medicine dispensing element therethrough for dispensing a liquid medicine into the interior volume to replace at least some of the liquid medicine dispensed through the dispensing end. Dispensing of the liquid medicine into the interior volume of the medicine cartridge applies a fluid pressure to the piston to translate the piston away from the dispensing end of the medicine cartridge.